2026 Social Media and Men’s Mental Health Research
More than 3 hours a day linked to higher mental health risks in Canadian men October 7, 2026
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New research shows more than half of young Canadian men spend over 3 hours a day on social media which significantly increases their risk of poor mental health.
The 2026 study, conducted by CMHF and Intensions Consulting, surveyed 2,000 Canadian men aged 19 or older, revealing these key findings:
- More than half (53%) of Canadian men aged 19-44 report using social media more than 3 hours a day
- Building on previous academic research, this study confirms that social media use of more than 3 hours a day negatively impacts Canadian men’s mental health as it:
- More than doubles the risk of having moderate to high anxiety (54% vs. 23%);
- Almost triples the risk for moderate to severe depression (39% vs. 14%);
- More than triples the risk of problem anger (38% vs. 12%);
- Triples the risk of suicidal ideation (30% vs. 10%).
Study Resources
About the Study
The Intensions Consulting study was conducted in Canada between April 8 and 14, 2026. The sample was stratified to ensure its composition reflected the underlying distribution of the population as determined by 2021 Census data. The online survey was administered in French and English and used validated measures, including time spent on social media (Riehm et. al., 2019), the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Dimensions of Anger Reactions (DAR-5), and the Suicide Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). A traditional probability sample of comparable size would have produced results considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Riehm, K.E., Feder, K.A., Tormohlen, K.N., et al. Associations Between Time Spent Using Social Media and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among US Youth. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;76(12): 1266–1273. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.2325